Enforcement Directorate(ED) | Business Upturn

ED raids AAP MP Sanjay Singh’s residence

United News of India (UNI) — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 10:01:20 +0000

New Delhi, Oct 4 : Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday conducted raids at the residence of Aam Aadmi Party leader and MP Sanjay Singh in connection with Delhi excise policy case.

Reacting to the ED raid, AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said it has raided over 1000 places but nothing was found.

Kakkar wrote on X, “Raids about 1000 places, People were tortured in custody but nothing was found. Nothing will be found at Sanjay sir’s place also.”

On ED raids, Delhi BJP unit president Virendra Sachdeva said that the investigative agency ED has raided AAP MP Sanjay Singh’s residence in connection with Delhi excise policy case. All the persons who were involved in the excise policy case would be exposed and reached at their right place very soon.

SC questions “Is there no other person in the organization?” on ED Director Mishra’s extension

News Desk — Wed, 03 May 2023 15:48:51 +0000

The Supreme Court of India after hearing the pleas against the recent extensions given to Enforcement Directorate (ED) director, Mr Sanjay Mishra, questions the decision of the state to give him a third consecutive extension.

“Is there no other person in the organization who can do his job? Can one person be so indispensable? According to you, there is no one else in ED who is competent. What will happen post to the agency post-2023, when he does retire?” the court asked.

The 62-year-old ED chief was appointed to the post in 2018 for a period of 2 years after which he was given an extension in November 2020 for another year. In 2021 the Union government passed two ordinances, the Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 and the Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021, which gave the government powers to extend the tenure of ED and CBI chiefs by three years after there mandated two years of service. Soon after this ordinance was passed, Mishra received another extension on his term.

After the first extension given to Mishra, it was questioned in the court and the court upheld the decision, although it noted that no more extensions can be given to him.

Questions raised came after the statement that the Solicitor General of India, the official representative of the Government of India, Mr Tushar Mehta said that the extension was necessitated because of administrative reasons and was vital for India’s evaluation by the Financial Action Task Force.

“The next peer review of India’s legislation on money laundering is to take place in 2023 and, with a view to ensuring that India’s rating does not go down, continuity of the leadership in the Enforcement Directorate is crucial,” Mehta added.

Over the last five years, more than 1500 ED raids have been conducted by the department.

The hearing has not reached a conclusion and the Supreme Court will continue to listen to the pleas from May 6.

ED searches Byju’s office, residence over alleged FEMA violations

United News of India (UNI) — Sat, 29 Apr 2023 10:53:38 +0000

New Delhi, Apr 29: Directorate of Enforcement (ED) conducted searches at three premises’-two Business and one residential- of Raveendaran Byju and his company in Bengaluru over alleged violation of the provisions of Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), the ED said on Saturday.

According to a statement issued by ED, during the search and seizure action various documents and digital data were seized. ED searches under FEMA also revealed that the company allegedly received foreign direct investment of Rs 28000 crore during the period from 2011 to 2023.

“Further, the company has remitted Rs 9754 crore to various foreign jurisdictions during the same period in the name of overseas direct investment. The company has booked around Rs 944 crore in the name of advertisement and marketing expenses including the amount remitted to foreign jurisdiction,” claims ED in its statement.

“The company has not prepared its financial statements since the financial year 2020-21 and has not got the accounts audited which are mandatory. Hence, the genuineness of the figures provided by the company is being cross examined from the banks,” it said.

“Investigation against the platform was initiated on the basis of various complaints received from various private persons. During an investigation conducted by the ED, several summonses were issued to the founder and CEO Raveendaran Byju, however, he always remained evasive and never appeared during the investigation,” the statement said.

ED said that the probe is underway.

ED selectively leaked information to malign Congress leader: Congress Spokesperson Ajay Maken

United News of India (UNI) — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 06:39:18 +0000

Congress on Monday alleged that the Enforcement Directorate was leaking information selectively to certain media houses to malign the image of the Congress leader.

Addressing a press conference here at party headquarters Congress Spokesperson Ajay Maken said narrative is being set by the Modi government to influence the investigation against Rahul Gandhi.
Maken’s remarks came after Rahul Gandhi was set to appear before the ED. For the fourth time in connection with National Herald case.

“The government is planting false and selective news to tarnish the image of our leaders” he alleged.
Maken said , “the National Herald case is such an issue, in which no one has, benefited from a single penny. But, still, for the fourth consecutive day our leader has been called only to malign the image of our party.

Talking about the Agnipath scheme. He said the government should immediately rollback the Scheme. Which was imposed without proper consultations with the opposition and other stakeholders.
“The scheme should first be discussed with youth and in parliament. Then the government should take the final call on it”. He added.

Maken added that the government is trying to suppress the voice of opposition by using CBI and ED.
Calling ED as the Election Management Department of the BJP Maken said. There are 5,422 cases under ED, and out of these cases 5,310 have been filed by the Modi government in the last year.
“Doesn”t this show that the ED has now become the Election Management Department?” he said.
Maken said AICC headquarters has been turned into barracks. By the Delhi police and all the leader of the party are forced to plea at several places. Before they are allowed to enter the office.

“There is no democracy left in this country. Of the general secretary of a party need permission from the police to reach office”. He said.

The spokesperson also said congress delegation will meet the president today at 5 PM to apprise him over the issue of Agnipath and the high-handedness of Delhi police.

National Herald case: ED calls Rahul Gandhi for second day of questioning

Dipankar Ray — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 07:35:18 +0000

Rahul Gandhi has been called in for questioning for the second day by the Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday, June 14, 2022. On Monday, the Congress leader was questioned for a total time of 11 hours. The meeting is alleged to have been full of “drama”. As Congress party leaders from around the country gathered to protest the ED’s interrogation of Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald corruption case.

Congress’s show of protest yesterday resulted in the detention of many senior party leaders including Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot. As well as Party Spokesperson Randeep Surjewala. Most of the detainees were released soon after the questioning concluded later that night. However, why was Congress so adamant about ending only an official procedure of the investigating agency.

ED calls Rahul Gandhi for second day of questioning

Questions were also raised by many BJP leaders. Moreover, such as Smriti Irani regarding the need to stage such a mass protest around the country. In this regard, Harish Rawat, the Congress’s leader, stated that the party’s protest will continue on Tuesday. “We’ll continue this fight tomorrow as well. The struggle of the Congress party will continue until they (Central government) try to suppress the voice of Rahul Gandhi & our party”. He was quoted by ANI agency.

Congress has tried to give a very stiff reply to all the questions raised. As he had accused and slammed the ruling BJP government of the fact that they are using the ED. His allegations were of an “election management mechanism”. As remarked by Randeep Singh Surjewala in a press meeting. He had also commented on the reasons why BJP has been attacking Rahul Gandhi. Mr. Surjewala said that it is because the BJP government is scared of Rahul Gandhi’s truthfulness towards the public. And his stance against the government on various matters recently on the inflation rates in the country. Harish Rawat, the Congress’s leader, stated that the party’s protest will continue on Tuesday.

Mr. Surjewala had also taken a jibe against Home Minister Amit Shah by commenting “chronology samjhiye”. As he had listed out the reasons for BJP’s stance. He had also accredited Rahul Gandhi for raising the voices of people in the parliament. As the main reason for BJP accusing Mr. Gandhi. He had also accused PM Narendra Modi of being a “agent of friendly industrialists”. Thus, referring to the Rafael deal and the deal with the Adanis.

Further updates on the investigation are still awaited.

ED registers case against Raj Kundra

United News of India (UNI) — Thu, 19 May 2022 08:51:59 +0000

Mumbai, May: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Against actor Shilpa Shetty’s husband and businessman Raj Kundra for his alleged involvement in the production and circulation of pornographic films. Kundra has sold an app named ‘Hotshots’ to a UK-based company, Kenrin. Owned by his brother-in-law Pardeep Bakshi, ED sources said. The app was developed through Kundra’s company Arms Prime Media Ltd. For the maintenance of Hotshots app, Kundra’s company Viaan Industries tied up with Kenrin. For this, crores of rupees were sent to 13 bank accounts of Viaan, informed sources said. The Hotshots app was actually a platform for porn movies. Which were made in India and uploaded on the app to offer subscriptions. The amount of money earned through the subscribers was transacted in the name of Kundra’s company Viaan Industries, the sources added.

ED takes possession of Bihar shelter home case accused Brajesh Thakur’s property worth ₹1.45 crore

Chirag Jha — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 12:53:25 +0000

On Wednesday, Hindustan Times reported that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) took possession of immovable property worth ₹1.45 crore belonging to Brajesh Thakur, the main accused in the Muzzafarpur shelter home case. The property is under the name of his wife Asha and located in Delhi’s Palam area, the ED said.

ED takes possession of Bihar shelter home case accused Brajesh Thakur’s property worth ₹1.45 crorehttps://t.co/kpbNwkZHGm pic.twitter.com/OroKMwfBnc

— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) March 3, 2021

The ED accused Thakur of “misappropriating” funds received as grants from the government and other agencies in the name of the NGO. Grants-in-aid to the tune of ₹7.57 crore was siphoned off by Thakur and invested the same in his own name as well as in the name of his family members, the agency further said.

“During the money-laundering investigation, it was revealed that the girls’ shelter home in Muzaffarpur was found to be running in a highly questionable manner and several girls reported about violence and being abused sexually,” the ED said, adding that Thakur raped the girls.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed the charge sheet in 2018 against 21 accused, including Thakur. The ED attached properties worth ₹7.3 crores and ₹1.47 crore in 2019 and 2020, respectively.

Kerala gold smuggling case: CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s private secretary, CM Raveendran appears before ED

Shalmali Bhagwat — Thu, 17 Dec 2020 06:38:34 +0000

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s additional private secretary CM Raveendran on Thursday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning with regards to the gold smuggling case, Hindustan Times reported.

Raveendran has already been summoned four times by the Central agency. He was first instructed to appear last month, but he could not as he had tested positive for COVID-19. Later, he avoided the instructions, shielding himself by citing post-COVID-19 complications. He was issued a fresh summons after he was discharged from Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital last week.

Raveendran approached the high court, seeking anticipatory bail but the ED declined it, saying he was not made an accused in any case. The court is set to address his plea later in the day. CM’s other secretary, senior Indian Administrative Service officer, M Sivasankar, is already in remanded judicial custody in relation with the case. Raveendran was summoned on the basis of Sivasankar’s statement, as disclosed by a senior official of the multi-agency probe team, requesting anonymity.

Last week, the CM had tried to vouch for him, saying he was not able to attend the questioning due to ill-health. He said the Central agencies can’t take any action against him as “he holds a good track record”. He had criticised the agencies, alleging that they were just fulfilling orders as dictated by their masters in Delhi.

The gold smuggling racket was unfurled on July 5 after the seizure of 30 kgs of the metal from a consignment addressed to the United Arab Emirates consulate in the state Capital. A multi-agency team lead by the National Investigation Agency is investigating the case and 34 people have been arrested so far.

ED probes Sushant Singh Rajput starrer Raabta producer Dinesh Vijan about the Rs. 17 crores payment made to actor

Shreya Varanasi — Sun, 22 Nov 2020 06:12:59 +0000

It has been five months since actor Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead at his house under mysterious circumstances. Ever since then, Enforcement Directorate (ED), CBI and NCB have been investigating the several angles of the case. While NCB has been making arrests in the drugs angle, ED has been looking into the money laundering angle. It is reported that the agency has found a suspicious payment worth Rs 17 crore allegedly made to the late actor.

According to media reports, this suspicious payment was made by Dinesh Vijan who produced the 2017 film Raabta starring SSR and Kriti Sanon. According to India Today, Dinesh was supposed to submit documents detailing the payment made to Sushant for Raabta. The producer had submitted only a few documents before. Meanwhile, the details of the overseas shoot budget are still missing and ED searched his house for the same in October. During the search, the officials found the budget and expenditures of Raabta that was submitted to officials in Budapest. It was then reported that the budget of the film was 50 crores and 17 crores were paid to Sushant.

Dinesh has been questioned about the payment and failed to answers as to how the payment was done and where the money went. Meanwhile, Dinesh Vijan’s production house released a statement and clarified that the production made no payment to the actor in Hungary.

Here is the statement made by Dinesh Vijan’s Maddock Films

Kindly note that Maddock Films has not made any payment to Sushant in Hungary. Maddock has also not received Rs.17 crores whether as actor fee, or any rebate from Hungary as wrongly claimed in your article. We have made the full and final payment to Sushant for the film Raabta as per the agreement signed by him with us, and this payment was received by him in India. We have submitted relevant documents for the proof of such payment to the department. It should be noted that in fact all funding and financial transactions for the shooting in Hungary were handled by T-series. You may confirm from T Series. Maddock Films is a responsible filmmaker and we dutifully follow the rules and law of our country.

India Today has always stood by the truth and we hope that sharing the correct facts with you will lead to correct reporting as a responsible publication. We are not sure if we can speak about the matter at this moment, but to avoid any controversy we want to clarify we are fully cooperating with the agency and have furnished all details required and it is our sincere request to all to avoid spreading incorrect information.

You may note that Mr Vijan was to travel back to India and had to therefore as per norms undergo a Covid-19 test prior to flying. He’s detected positive for Covid-19 which is why he could not travel back and is presently recuperating. He will be travelling back to India as soon as he recovers, he and Maddock films have been and will fully co-operate with the authorities, as required. We further request you, if you choose to mention Maddock Films or Dinesh Vijan in your story, to print our above quote in full.

Warm Regards, From the official spokesperson – Maddock Films.

Directorate of Enforcement (ED) summons Bineesh Kodiyeri, son of Kerala CPI (M) State Secretary in Drugs Smuggling Case

Akanksha Yadav — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 10:15:29 +0000

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Bengaluru, has summoned Bineesh Kodiyeri, the son of Kerala CPI (M) State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, on October 6th concerning his association in a drugs trafficking case. The ED will question Bineesh in regards with his association with the drugs racket accused Mohammed Anoop, who was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Bengaluru zonal unit, on August 24 under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, along with other accused R Ravindran and Anikha D. The prime accused Mohammed Anoop is from Kochi and is allegedly a close friend of Bineesh.

According to the information given by sources, the ED has questioned Anoop, who is currently placed in the Bengaluru Central Prison at Parapanna Agrahara, during which he reportedly confronted the officials that Bineesh had funded his restaurant business in Bengaluru. It was revealed that in the guise of running a restaurant, Anoop was allegedly peddling drugs to prominent people in the city.

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in Bengaluru will look into the matter to confirm whether the financial deals between the two are linked to the drugs case. Bineesh has acknowledged his friendship with Anoop but has denied any involvement in the illegal drug business.

Yan Hao, Dhiraj Sarkar and Ankit Kapoor taken into ED custody for money laundering case till 29th September for Chinese Betting Apps

Agatha Boustin — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 10:55:19 +0000

Earlier this month, Dhiraj Sarkar, Ankit Kapoor, and Yan Hao, a Chinese national, were taken in the Enforcement Directorate’s custody for a money laundering case regarding online betting apps. The three convicts will be held in custody until the 29th of September.

Three weeks ago, the Hindu Times reported that the Enforcement Directorate froze four HSBC bank accounts worth 45.96 crore for “running Chinese apps on online betting platforms in India.”

ED began probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after a Hyderabad police FIR was filed against companies Dokypay Technology Pvt Ltd and Linkyun Technology Pvt Ltd. During the investigation, Sarkar, Kapoor, and Hao were arrested for alleged practice in money laundering.

Yan Hao, “organizer of the betting scam”, was the manager of a Beijing Tomorrow Power Company. According to reports, Paytm and Cashfree were used to receive the money obtained from gambling.

Similar activities were also observed with Chinese dating apps running for Indians.

Enforcement Directorate gets custody of Chinese national Yan Hao and Dhiraj Sarkar and Ankit Kapoor till 29th September, in connection with money laundering case relating to the online betting apps

— ANI (@ANI) September 22, 2020

45 crore worth of property attached by ED at Sri Guru Sahakara Bank and Sarvabhouma Credit Co-operative

Agatha Boustin — Fri, 18 Sep 2020 11:02:41 +0000

Enforcement Directorate attached immovable and movable properties totaling to Rs. 45.32 crores under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The properties belonged to the senior officials and associates of the “Sri Guru Raghavendra Sahakara Bank Niyamitha and Sri Guru Sarvabhouma Credit Co-operative.” Immovable properties are properties that refer to real estate while moveable properties refer to movable assets.

There is more to know to be told about the case.

Terror Funding Case: ED files complaint against Bilquies Shah, wife of the President of the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party Shabir Ahmad Shah

Agatha Boustin — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 11:32:19 +0000

On Thursday evening, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a case against Bilquies Shah for funding a terrorist attack. She is the wife of Shabir Ahmad Shah, president of the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party. The ED filed a Prosecution Complaint under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, in the Special Court, Patiala House, Delhi.

ED has summoned Life Mission CEO UV Jose as part of the proceedings in gold smuggling

Pravin Suryawanshi — Mon, 14 Sep 2020 12:24:51 +0000

Lok Sabha: The Bill seeks to bring cooperative banks on par with developments in the banking sector through their better management and proper regulation to protect the interests of depositors.

Enforcement Directorate(ED) has provisionally attached immovable & movable properties worth Rs 91.80 Crore of accused Bharat Bomb, Shankar Lal Khandelwal, and others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, in a case relating to the Syndicate Bank loan fraud case.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had decided to examine all documents pertaining to the Life Mission housing project meant for the poor and the landless in Kerala one week before.

At the Lok sabha, it mentioned that Enforcement Directorate(ED) has summoned Life Mission CEO UV Jose to appear at its office as part of the proceedings in the Kerala gold smuggling case.

Further details of the Gold smuggling case in Kerala will be approved soon.